Album Review by EDF
Another soul legend is dusted down and given a retrospective release. Timmy Thomas is best known for his 1972 hit WHY CAN’T WE LIVE TOGETHER. There are two versions of the song here, the shorter mono version and a ‘lasting peace remix’ from 1990. Thomas’s recordings are usually the basic organ, vocals and drum machine. You wonder at times if Thomas knows how to program his drum machine as the drum patterns sound similar on a few tracks but this really adds to each song.
There are other social commentary tracks such as DIZZY DIZZY WORLD and about how love can bring peace on PEOPLE ARE CHANGING. YOU’RE THE SONG I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SING is soul and funk at its best. WHAT CAN I TELL HER and LET ME BE YOUR EYES is Thomas doing his best to seduce his woman. The excellent Betty Wright can also be found on two tracks, SWEET BROWN SUGAR and EBONY AFFAIR.
There is only one track here that does not reach the same high standard as the rest of this compilation reaches and that is the aimless FUNKY ME. On an album that goes from soul to the disco sounds of LOVE SHINE and STONE TO THE BONE, there is something for everyone. These days, we can now find Timmy Thomas performing on Josh Stone’s excellent THE SOUL SESSIONS album with the likes of other legends such as Little Beaver and Latimore, who also have recently released retrospectives.
